


An Unexpected Encounter

by FiliTheLionKing (IAmYourWatson)



Series: The Old Guard Ask Prompts [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Hiding In A Stable, I'm Not Sorry For That Last Sentence, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Most Of This Stuff Is Only Mentioned Though, Pre-Canon, Religious Conflict, Religious Fanaticism, Running From Bigots With Your Boyfriend, Spanish Inquisition, You'll know it when you see it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25856881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmYourWatson/pseuds/FiliTheLionKing
Summary: In which Nicolò and Yusuf are travelling across the Iberian Peninsula during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, honey becomes a metaphor for the passage of time, and Yusuf's main concern is, as always, a former priest from Genoa.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: The Old Guard Ask Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876288
Comments: 9
Kudos: 117





	An Unexpected Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! This was a fill for a prompt over on tumblr.
> 
> _fleurdufeu asked:_
> 
> _I have a prompt! The reason Nicky and Joe aren’t around when Andy and Quynh get arrested as witches in England is because they’re currently dealing with their own problems with the Spanish Inquisition._

Quite a few of Yusuf’s favorite memories with Nicolò began with the two of them hiding in a dark corner, out of sight from prying eyes, but with danger lurking just around the corner. Granted, all of those memories took place in empty taverns or deserted back alleys, and the “danger” was the off chance that a drunken sailor would stumble upon their hiding place while they were kissing and start shouting abuse at them. This time, though, the absolute best that Yusuf could hope for was a drunken sailor, and not what could end up being the entirety of the Spanish Inquisition. 

They had split up from Andy and Quynh a few years ago, promising to meet in England not too long from now. Nicolò and Yusuf had spent much of this time wandering up and down the coast, in what would someday be called the Iberian Peninsula. Yusuf was often mistaken for a Moor, which could be either a blessing or a curse, while Nicolò’s Genoan looks allowed most passers-by to assume that he was a Spaniard. They hadn’t personally been bothered much by the religious fervor roaring around them; it was easy for two men with hundreds of years of experience to slip away unnoticed than it was for the thousands of others that the Inquisition regularly hunted down. 

That lucky streak had ended last night. After setting themselves up in an out of the way inn, Nicolò and Yusuf had thought that they were one step ahead of any notice, but they were dead wrong. The innkeeper was a greedy man, eager to collect a reward offered by the local bishop for information on any heretics taking shelter from the road. It wasn’t that they had gone soft, per se; it was just that they were tired and hungry, and a night in a bed sounded too wonderful to pass up. Besides, Yusuf wanted to do something nice for his beloved. Nicolò’s relationship with his faith was a complicated one, and seeing the religion he had grown up loving and truly believing in be corrupted by greed and superstition and hatred wore on his soul. Nicolò might be the quieter of the two, but his emotions were no less powerful than Yusuf’s. If Yusuf could lessen his lover’s pain for even one night, he would. 

Sadly, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or so they would sometimes say. Now they were stuck here, tucked into a back corner of a stable three miles away from the inn, listening for the footsteps of soldiers and religious zealots alike. Yusuf wrapped his arms around Nicolò, both to keep the sounds of their weapons muffled and to provide what comfort he could. He knew that once they were far away from here, Nicolò would need his love and support as he once again grappled with the difference between the faith that he felt against the faith that he saw. Yusuf didn’t even dare to whisper a word of comfort in his lover’s ear, for fear of being heard by spies in the walls. 

The night trickled past slower than frozen honey, but at long last, the sun rose, and Yusuf was certain that they had not been followed. They would need to move on regardless, but for now, they could take a brief moment to let their bodies relax, even if their minds would not. Nicolò reached into his pack and pulled out some stale bread, offering half of it to Yusuf as always. Yusuf murmured his thanks in his native tongue, smiling softly when Nicolò answered in Genoan. The only sound besides their quiet chewing was the call of a morning bird nestled high up in the rafters. When dawn had passed and the sun was climbing higher in the sky, they prepared to move out, checking that they had all of their weapons and supplies with them. Luckily, nothing had been left behind at the inn, and with the exception of a lost night’s sleep, they were no worse for the wear. 

As they stepped out into the morning, Yusuf slipped his hand into Nicolò’s, allowing himself this small pleasure before he focused on the day ahead. By mutual agreement, they decided to head towards Paris so they could find passage across the channel to England. Staying on the mainland was becoming too dangerous, and while Yusuf would stand out among the many pale faces of England, he wasn’t quite as likely to be burned at the stake for heresy. They kept to the treeline of a nearby forest, listening for any signs that they were being followed. They didn’t stop moving until the noonday sun beat down upon their brows through the leaves, and they stopped by a stream to eat and drink, allowing themselves some quiet conversation. When they began to pack up, Yusuf noticed that Nicolò’s brow was furrowed, not in anger, but in something akin to self-reproach. Yusuf sighed, pulling Nicolò in for a gentle kiss, his thumbs smoothing the lines from beloved’s brow. 

“What is it, _habibi_?”

“I’m still not sure how we missed it. How did we not see the gleam in that man’s eyes? The greed? We’re smarter than this.” 

“Well, to be fair, my love, nobody _expects_ the Spanish Inquisition.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find my The Old Guard stuff over on comme-un-livre-ouvert.tumblr.com!


End file.
